Breathe

Chapter Seven - Beasts

The sun rose marking the beginning of a new warm day, which Quinn had grown to enjoy, despite of all the trouble of covering her body in sun protector and having to walk around with a hood. She felt happy since she knew what the day had in store for her.

The blonde girl took a walk around town and she didn't need to go very far until she heard whispers all around her. Small groups of people had gathered around the posters glued and stapled everywhere around town. She got closer to one of those groups, listening more attentively while looking, with a fake worried face, at the poster she had made with the image of a shark between various destroyed trees.

"You know I heard they live in trees like monkeys... And that they have hidden tails!" A man commented with a blank face and many looked at him, white as foam.

"I heard they sacrifice people to the sun like some primitive animals, and now they will start sacrificing us!" Another woman said and Quinn had to contain the urge to laugh, what kind of idiotic things had those guys been telling? Or perhaps this was the fear and panic starting to create illusions, either way the plan was going on much quicker than hoped.

"Our leader would never let something like that happen... Right?"

"They have his daughter in their grasp, he would never let someone harm her, especially when his wife has perished..."

Hearing Ava being involved sickened the girl so much that she immediately got away. In the far West corner she could see Sam with a worried face next to the monster, who apparently wasn't so stupid as he seemed and got the message, ripping the poster from the wall. Unfortunately for him, there were much more.

All around the monkey, people glared intensely, watching his every move with caution and whispering, now not with such curiosity but fear, hate and even irritation as the rumours spread among the community. Noah, probably feeling all this pressure, went into a nearby building and Sam attempted to follow him, but the girl was quicker, calling him.

"Sam! Wait!" Quinn yelled gesturing as she ran to him, grabbing his arm. "It's been awhile since we've talked, uh?" She asked nonchalantly which made the boy's face contort in a frown.

"Don't touch me, now it's not the time Quinn! You've seen the posters all around town, they're scaring people to the point of turning stupid!" He commented rather loudly for others to hear too, pulling away from her grasp and tidying his jacket. All the eyes that were on them quickly averted elsewhere but the noise only increased.

"Yeah, about that, you're really close to that... person, what do you think about the rumours, think they might be true?" She made a worried face and Sam narrowed his eyes at her, as if not believing her act, but she lingered until he let out a deep sigh (and so did the girl, only internally).

"Of course they are not, think a little! I can believe these guys falling for stuff like that, but you're smart and you know better than to just go on with the crowd's mentality!" His speech was harsh but also had a tad of sweetness, which she thought was strange. Sam wasn't the type to be sweet and caring.

"You're right, what was I thinking? It's just... This is all so bizarre, the posters appearing from nowhere, I mean, who put them there? It's hard to believe one of us would do something like that..." Quinn looked around, her gaze jumping to every person there.

"The leader will say something about this soon for sure, until then it could be anyone. Be careful walking around alone."

"Who says I'm going to be alone, stupid? I have more friends besides you!" The blonde commented playfully showing him her tongue.

"I know, but Ava isn't here right now, so there is no one else to put up with your maniac tendencies!" Sam shot back and started to walk back, waving goodbye with a smug smile on his face.